Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu wants to add a name to the guestlist for the film's premiere -- a young boy helping to develop a COVID-19 vaccine for young adults.
Liu retweeted an appearance by North Carolinan Caleb Chung and his father Richard on MSNBC. In the clip, Caleb shared why he took part in a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine trial for those between the ages of 12-15. Currently, that age range is not eligible to receive any inoculations against the virus. Caleb is one of the 2,000 young adults involved in the study.
Liu captioned his retweet, "My guy. @MarvelStudios, if we ever do an actual premiere, let's make sure we invite Caleb."
In the video, Caleb states that his main reason for joining the trial is to "help out in the fight against the virus" and to boost confidence in the safety of the vaccines. He adds that as an Asian American, it's important for him to represent the people in his community, especially during the pandemic. Caleb's father, who is a pediatrician at Duke University, nods and smiles along while his son explains his motivations to MSNBC hosts Lindsey Reiser and Kendis Gibson during a Vaccinating America segment.
The star of the recently canceled hit Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience even got a response from Caleb's mother, Gina Chung, thanking Liu for the shout-out and saying that her son would be "honored" to attend.
Liu is a devoted ally to informing the public about the recent rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Asians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, the Marvel star wrote an op-ed discussing his feelings around the hate and racism that AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) community members face, specifically focusing on how it affects elders in his community. After the recent shootings in Georgia, he also joined the likes of Chloe Bennet and others to decry the attacks and raise awareness of the violence and struggles that the AAPI community currently faces.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Daniel Callaham, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings stars Simu Liu, Tony Leung, Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Jiang Nan, Meng'er Zhang. Ronny Cheng, Fala Chen and Jiang Len. The film arrives in theaters Sept. 3.
Source:Â Twitter